Connecting link



March 1, 1932. w. J. ROY 1,847,901

CONNECTING LINK Filed July 5, 1950 llluuumhm hh EMWW l llll' IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. l, 1932 WILFRID J. ROY, 4or nAs'rV ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,AssrcNoR To c-EMNX COMPANY, A coRPoRATIoN or NEW JERsEY v A coNNnc'rINsLINK l e Application" niveaJuly 3, 1930,- seriai No. 465,614. Y

' `This invention lrelates to a connecting link 'for hingedly joining aseries of adjacent body links; and has for its object to provide acon- VVstruction which will be secure and 'durable `and yet easily removed forshortening the chain by one or'more links.

Afurther object of the invention is to providev a'construction in whichthe body links of the chain-may be vprovided with a certain finish andaContrasting appearance provided for the connecting-'links-of the series.v i v AA still further object oftheinvention is l l the provision-of aconstruction in Vwhich the flexibilityof the links will be smoothwithout binding of the parts'.y Y Y l Y VWith these and' other objectsandadvantageous features'in view, the'invention consis'ts of a novelarrangement of pa-rts more A .V fullyrdisclosedl in the-detailed'description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,and inoreparticularly set forth in the appended claims.

vIn the drawings: Y Fig. lis a top plan view of aseries of body togetherby my connecting links connected links; e Fig. 2 isV a view similar toFigure 1 with the inner connectinglink in position andthe 30 outerconnecting link removed in one showingl and connected in workingposition in another` showing of the same;

Fig. 3 isa bottom view showing two different types ofouter connectinglinks;

Fig. 4 is a section online 4 4 of Figure 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof one of the body links; Y Fig.- Gis a perspective view of the outerconnecting link;

vFig. 7 is a perspective view of the vinner connecting link; 1 f A Fig.8 is a top plan view-of va 'modified formof outer connecting links, thesame being'formed'in a plurality of parts; Fig. 9 is a bottomview of theshowing in FigureV 8. Y In an 'open work bracelet ofthe type having"generally rectangular links with end bars connected togetherg it is*desirablek to vary the appearance of the same by the use of metalshaving'diilerent appearances such as differently coloredmetals ordifferently colored gold plates; and in order to provide aconstruction-in which this may be accomplishedv in a practical manner, Ihave provided a connecting link for thebody linksmade in a pluf ralityof parts, the innermost one of which is hidden by the outermost, wherebya bracelet may bev assembled with the inner connecting link oiningthebody links together, the

same plated or linished a'sdesired and the outer connectingy linksseparately finished and ythen g assembled Iwith the chain to lcover theinner links, and when desired present a different.;appearance',`v and inthe provision of such construe-tion many advantages follow, suchasstrength,y ease of detachability and lsn'iooth workingof the parts,'etc.; andthe following is av detailed description ofi-'the presentembodiment of this invention yillustrating the preferred means by whichthese advantageous results may be accomplishedl VWith reference to thedrawings,"the body Alinks 10 are of' generally rectangular shape havingen dbars 11 which'are substantially circular in cross section. Aboutthese-end# bars the inner connecting link 12 isfo'lded as illustrated attheright hand showing of the connection in vFigure 2 with its edgesupward.V

The inner connecting link 12 is provided with a rib 13 to extend betweenand space the greater ldistance apart than the intermediate teeth 15 to.snugly lit the channel` 18 of the outer connecting linklQv and preventthe outer link from binding thev inner link. This Outer connecting link19 is oppositely disposed with reference to the inner link 12 so thatits meetbracelet, as shown at'21 in Figures 8 and 4.

The'edges 2O of the outer connecting link may be slotted, as at 22, toprovide'fingers-QB Vsimilar to the fingers or teethon the inner .endbars 11 for smooth hinging action of l e5 ing edges 20 will beon thebottom of the Jill The top surface 2li of the outer connecting link isornamented as at by beads or the like, or Where desired the outerconnecting link may be made in a plurality of parts 26, 27 and 28 foldedabout the inner link l2 with the edges 29 of these parts .spaced asubstantial distance, as shown in Figure 9.

By the construction here shown, the body links l() may be joinedtogether by the inner connecting links l2 and the series subjected to aplating operation or other finish, Whereby all of the body links Will befinished the same. The outer connecting link may be subjected to adi'erent nishing operation, `such as `the provision of a gold plateWhere the body links are plated with chromium and a lcontrastingappearance is thus aorded When the outer connecting link is positioned.

Then again, Where a greater variety of ap- 3earance` is desired, thebody links 10, as shown in Figure 8, may be finished in White gold andthe connecting` links 26 and 28 finished in red gold with anintermediate outer connecting link 27 finished in green gold, whereby acontrasting ornamental appearance for the bracelet'is provided. v

An advantage in the use of a Vplurality of parts for the connecting linkis that the required strength of the connectionfis distributed betweenthe plurality of parts forming the connection thereby making a moreflexible and easier manipulating connectinglink, that is, Where a singleconnecting link is used, this single connecting link must itself besufficiently strong so that it will resistv to a predetermined eXtentdetachment by unfolding. lNhere, however, a plurality of connectinglinks are used the required strength m( y be distributed between the twoor more parts of the connection, so that each being Vof less hcldingstrength Will resist to a lesser degree the effort required fordetachment, thus mai-- ing it .easier to pry off the connecting link ofthis construction to .shorten the bracelet,

l/Vhile l have described certain construction forms which embody theprinciples of my invention, it is obvious that other desired kit)changes in arrangement may be made Within the spirit and the scope oftheinvention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. ln a bracelet, a series of body links having end bars, an innerconnecting link embracing the end bars of the body links to hingedlyconnect them together, and a secondary connecting link consisting of aplurality of parts folded about the inner connecting link.

2. ln a bracelet, a series of body links having end bars, an innerconnecting link slit to form a plurality of teeth embracing the end barsof the body links to hingedly connect them together, and a secondaryconnecting link consisting of a plurality of parts folded about theinner connecting link. j 3. In a. bracelet, a series of body linkshaving end bars, an inner connecting link slit to form a plurality ofteeth embracing the end bars of the-body links to hingedly connect themtogether, and a secondary connecting link slotted on its edges andfolded about the inner connecting link.

4. lIn a bracelet, a vseries of body links having end bars, a sheetmetal inner connecting link folded longitudinally With its abuttingedges adjacent its center and embracing the end bars of the body linksto hingedly connect them together, and a transversely extending ribformed by deflecting the stock of said connecting link to form a. recessin one side and a proj ection on the other side to space the end bars ofthe body links. Y

5. In abracelet, a series of body links having the end bars of the bodylinks to hingedly connect 'them together, and a secondary connecting`-link folded about the inner connecting link, said connecting linksbeing of substantially the same Width, and also substantially the Widthof the end bars embraced.

6.V In a bracelet, a series of body links having end bars, a pluralityof connecting links overlying each other and` folded about and embracingthe end bars of adjacent body links to hingedly connect them together,the opposite edges of each of said connecting links lying in adj acency.j

7. ln a bracelet, a series of body links having end bars, a plurality ofconnecting links overlying each other and folded about and embracing theend bars of adjacent body links to hingedly connect them together, theopposite edges of each ot said connecting links lying in adj acency,said connecting links being folded about said end bars alternately inopposite directions, whereby the meeting edges of each are oppositelyarranged.

8. In a bracelet, a series of body links having end bars, a plurality ofconnecting links overlying each other and embracing the end bars ofadjacent body links to hingedly connect them together, the inner one ofsaid connecting links having a rib to space the end bars of the bodylinks.

9. In a bracelet, a series of body links having end bars, a plurality ofconnecting links overlying each other and embracing the end bars ofadjacent body links to hingedly con- .nect them together, the inner oneof said connecting links having a rib to space the end bars of the bodylinks, the edges of the outer of said connecting links being spaced asubstantial distance apart.

mg end bars, an inner connecting link embracllO 10. In a bracelet, aseries of body links having end bars, a plurality of connecting linksoverlying each other and embracing the end bars of adjacent body linksto hingedly connect them together, the inner one of said l connectinglinks having a rib to space the end. bars of the body links, the edgesof the outer of said connecting links being in substantially contiguousrelation. n

In testimony whereof I ax' my signature.

WILFRID J. ROY.

